After a quick trip to the mountains this past weekend for Strawberry Days, I am preparing to hit the road for my mid-summer break. I got the cover on my kayak to protect it from the sun. It will be stored on my truck most of the time anyway so I needed to protect it since UV light kills kayaks. Next, I need to get a bunch of the stuff out of the back of the truck and reduce my load. I'll be heading out Thursday. I'll be going back through Glenwood to Ridgeway then over the Dallas Divide to Durango for a few days. I'll be camping there with one of my dearest friends with a dual goal in mind…catching up and discussing my book. It's time to get it published and move on to the next thing. Now that I have the majority of my downsizing out of the way, I have more free time to devote to writing and redeveloping my web presence. But first….some much needed R&R. Just peace, and quiet, and water, and a good book. Maybe a little fishing. Sigh.

I went to my home church on Sunday when I was up in the mountains. I felt compelled to stay for both services even though I didn't know that many at the second service. When I feel compelled, I listen. Our bulletin had a few special prayer requests…one of which was for the family of a 59 year old man who died suddenly of a heart attack. His wife was at the second service. I made it a point to wait on the sidelines till she was finished greeting everyone. I walked up to her and introduced myself and told her about losing Mr. Virgo. God bless her sweet heart. She was really doing well. She has great faith and she seems quite strong. She has family and friends and the church for support. My heart aches for her as I remember the early weeks of my journey.

I took this photo a couple of years ago on the first leg of my Grand Adventure. I went on a long drive yesterday afternoon up by the ski area and the lupine looked just the same as this. I love them! They are airy and misty lavender-blue. I cannot believe how green it is in the high country right now. I was told Colorado has had ten inches of rain this spring. If it continues, it will look much like back east. But if it dries out, as it is likely to do soon, we could be in for a heck of a fire season due to the incredible amount of underbrush that has developed. We went from cool and rainy last week to 93 degrees and bone dry the last three days. It will dry out fast if that keeps up. In the meantime it was a beautiful weekend!

Look at these. Aren't they yummy looking? Now…look closer. They are stitched and beaded faux "cupcakes"…complete with little fluted plastic cups. These were created by one of the most amazing women I've ever known.

I met JO shortly after moving to the mountains when Hubby #2 joined a medical practice after residency. I was really new at the doctor's wife thing (something I'm not entirely sure I ever mastered) and that first Christmas, I was invited to an ornament exchange party. We were to make a dozen ornaments and you took a dozen different ornaments home with you. I still have a large box of beautiful, handmade treasures that I will never part with.

I saw five million people I know at Strawberry Days last night. The locals always come out on Friday night. The food is fresh, the arts & crafts aren't picked over, the band is always awesome, and…well, it's Friday and it's fun. It's THE place to see and be seen!

I hit town at about 12:30 and headed straight for SWEET COLORADOUGH​ and interviewed the owner for The Coffee House Locator blog. I asked what his best selling drink was and he said probably a "Dirty Hippy". Great! I ordered one and my barista, Val, set right to it. It's espresso, spicy chai, and mocha. It was pretty darned tasty. I also had a croissant donut with strawberry frosting. Yummmm!

The Roaring Fork Valley on the Western Slope of Colorado used to be a huge strawberry producer. Over a century ago, the luscious fruit was celebrated with the first annual Strawberry Days Festival…the longest running festival in Colorado. Actually, in those days, people were so spread out, they would celebrate anything just to have an excuse to get together. Hence, there is the Dandelion Festival, Potato Days, Burning Mountain Days, etc. Strawberry Days runs the third full weekend of June. There will be food and arts & crafts booths, live music, children's programs, a parade, free strawberries and ice cream, a Miss Strawberry Days Scholarship Pageant….you know, the quintessential small town summer festival. And, I'm going! It will be an excellent opportunity to see tons of my friends without running around all over to visit here and there. I get to visit with my brother so I'm really super excited about that. And I'll be leaving TOW-Wanda at home and staying with my "parents by choice". They stood up for me at our wedding after my mother had passed away and my father was in a nursing home. I'll take my bike with me and tool around town. It's going to be so much fun!

Last night was the first s'mores of the season for me! Such sticky goodness is reserved for hot summer nights when the kids gather around the campfire. Ok…in this case, the trusty gas grill. But the results are the same and certainly not on anyone's diet. But oh…SO good! AND…they're MARSHMALLOW RANCH marshmallows! Well, not really…they're Stay Puft, but that's kinda the same thing.

I've got it again. There's a festival in the mountains this weekend. I think I might run up there and catch some live music and a funnel cake! I'm making plans for my next big trip. I'm leaving 6/26 for a circuit of Colorado. I'm visiting family and friends, hitting a music festival in Snowmass, then heading to my friend's place overlooking Mesa Verde. We're going to discuss my book and push to get it published this year. I need to be back in Denver by the 3rd for a concert I bought tickets for two months ago. I'll be free till the kids return on the 8th from their vacation then I will have my babies for a week. The next month will fly by!

I went to a movie with my kids and grandkids on my birthday. While ordering the tickets at the window, my daughter asked for two adults, two kids, and a senior citizen. My head whipped around and she stared at me with a look that said "Uh-oh….she just realized she's old!" Instead, I broke into a HUGE smile and started clapping. "You mean I get a senior discount now??? Score!!!", pumping my fist in the air. She looked around to see if people were giving her pitiful glances because her mom was doing the Happy Dance in the theater lobby. Do I get a discount on that overpriced popcorn, too? I dunno…I forgot to ask. I was just so darned excited at all the possible discounts I can receive now. And girl, I'm gonna WORK that! lol

This was just too cute not to post it. The kids had me over last night for a birthday party. It was so much fun! Our tongues were purple! This party was after spending the afternoon with the Sisters on the Fly at a wine tasting. THAT was a hoot and a half! I love those gals! I invited a friend to join me. Our kids were best friends in third grade then she and her daughter moved to Maine. I haven't seen her since. Then she moved back to Colorado a few weeks ago. She walked in the door and we picked up the conversation like we'd seen each other yesterday. What a wonderful, wonderful birthday week I've had! Thanks again to all of you for helping me celebrate.